The bird of Manhatten

Chapter 12 - in which a bird meets a king

"Does it still hurt?", he asks as we cross da yard an' shoves a piece of his bread in his mouth.
"What?", I ask confused.
"... Ya cheek an' ya throat?"
"Oh dat. Um, no. Not really."
"Not really?"
"I can barely feel something."
He nods slowly. He doesn't believe me. He thinks I's playin' things down again. And he's right, my cheek an' throat is burnin', but I ignore him anyways an' get in line.

"Mornin' sweetheart.", Romeo greets me.
"Mornin' skirt chaser.", I smirk.
"Hey!" He playfully smacks my shoulder, orders his papes, takes 'em and goes.
I's da next in line. "Good mornin', Mr. Wiesel.", I greet politely. "Da usual, please."
He turn ta his nephews an' yells: "80 foa da bird."
I lay 40 pennies on da counter. He takes da money an' I da papes.
"Thank ya.", I say, smile an' walk away, countin' my papes.
Eighty.
Good.
I see Crutchie, standin' a little away, an' decide ta join him.
"Mornin' Crutchie."
"Mornin' bird." He smirks at me.
Smilin' I shake my head.
He may seem ta be an angel, but, when he wants, he can be a real beast.
"What happened? Yesterday, I mean.", he asks.
"Nothin'."
"Don't wanna talk?"
"Don't want ya ta worry."
"Well, ya failed. Now I's worried."
"Damn!"
"So, tell me."
"Nothin' big, really. I jus' had a little... um... disagreement wit'... um... some men."
"How many?"
"... Three."
"Three grown up men? Mags!"
"Only two of 'em were fully grown up.", I defend myself.
"Whatever. How did ya manage dat?"
"What?"
"Don't play dumb. How did ya get three grown up men ta soakin' ya?"
"Well, it wasn't a real argument... one wanted my money, so I kicked him... in da nuts. I had ta do it, he wouldn't let me go."
Crutchie, now speechless, stars at me. I smile an' continue.
"His friends unfortunately saw it an' cased me ta Brooklyn, where they caught me an'... yeah. Then Spot rescued me an' Jack brought me here. Ya asked."
Before Crutchie can say somethin', Jack joins us.
"Hey, ya two...", he trails off as he sees Crutchie's face. "Mags? What have ya done ta him?"
"Nothin'. He asked me about yesterday an' I told him."
"Mags!", Jack says half laughin', half angry. "Stop scarin' my Newsies. An' now come. Da papes don't sell themselves."
I roll my eyes, but follow him, leavin' Crutchie standin' there.
"Wait!", he shouts after us. "We ain't done yet."
"We'll talk later. I promise.", I yell back.

Today's a good sellin' day. Da headline stinks, as every day, but we manage ta sell everything 'till noon. Jack heads back home shortly after, while I head towards da market. I walk through it for a while, but without money it ain't really fun. Eventually I find somethin', more or less steal it, an' smilin' make my way ta Brooklyn.

Spots P.O.V.

I's sittin' by da water, lookin' over da river, when one of da younger Newsies disturbs me.
"What?!", I ask without turnin'. I hate it to be disturbed in my 'alone-time'.
"I's very sorry, Mr. Spot, sir, but there's a 'hattan Newsie. He wants ta talk ta ya.", he answers timidly.
"A 'hattan Newsie?" I turn.
Behind mine another Newsie is standin'.
I send da young one away, stand up an' walk over ta da newcomer. "Who is ya?", I ask.
"I's Magpie.", da stranger answers. "Da goil from yesterday. Ya remember?"
Of course I remember her an' now I can also see da cut on her cheek. I smile. "Oh, yes. Sorry", I say friendlier. "I didn't recognize ya. Wanna sit?"
She smiles an' we sit down by da water.
"I came ta say thank ya.", Magpie say quietly.
"Foa what?"
"Savin' my life."
"Oh please. I's a Newsie, you'se a Newsie. We help each other.", I play it down.
"Well, ya know, da boys always say ya a very hard leader, womanizer an' very unfriendly... but ta me ya seem pretty nice."
"Only ta guys I like." I shouldn't have said dat. Dat was a mistake. Can I please press rewind?
She looks at me, confusion in her eyes. "Ya like me?"
"Well, I.... um... I..." I look away.
Then I hear her laughin'. "What's so funny?", I ask offended.
Magpie jus' smiles. "Well, actually I came here ta thank ya an'... um... I wanted ta give ya somethin' foa what ya done... but I don't have any money... so... well" She sighs. "I got ya flowers." She opens her hand an' reveals a bunch of forget-me-nots. "I know, it ain't much an' that you'se a respectable 'King'...", she pronounces da last word like she finds it funny. "but I like flowers an' thought it's a nice gesture." She holds da flowers up an' I take 'em.
"Um... thanks.", I say surprised. "No one ever got me flowers before."
"I thought so." She smiles slightly.
Then I hear a church bell an' Magpie jumps up. "I have ta go now. I promised Jack I'd be home at five."
I nod. "Carryin' da banner."
"Carryin' da banner.", she replies an' starts walkin' up ta da bridge. I stand up an' run after her.
"Wait.", I shout an' she turns. "I'll walk ya home."
She looks confused, but nods. "Ok.", she smiles.

Foa a while we walk in silence.
"So ya Jacky boys goil?", I ask as we reach Manhattan.
She laughs. "No. Or at least I think so. We'se siblings."
Dat wasn't was I expected. "You'se siblings?"
"Not really. It's jus' so, dat I's like a sista ta da boys, ya know?"
"I see."
Aaaand... here's da silence again.

As we reach da Lodge House of Manhattan, we say our farewells.
"Thank ya again for yesterday.", Magpie says, smilin'.
"Thank ya for da flowers." I smile back.
Then she heads for da door.
In front of it she stops, turns ta me, smiles again, opens it an' is gone.
I stand there foa a second, smilin', before I turn an' walk back home.